In this latest blog, we analyse What Are Technical Soccer Drills? Soccer is much more than just physical prowess and tactics; it requires a deep understanding and application of core techniques. To cultivate these essential skills, players at all levels must engage in technical drills that enhance fundamental movements such as ball mastery, receiving, passing accuracy, travelling with the ball and shooting.
“In Football, first the basics have to be in place. Only then, can you start to make improvements. Development is a personal process even when conducted in a team environment” – Johann Cruyff.
Technical drills are activities designed to improve a player’s fundamental skills and techniques in soccer. The primary aim is to develop individual ball competence and confidence through repetitive but meaningful and challenging practice.In this blog, we’ll look at different types of technical soccer drills, explore the advantages and disadvantages of implementing technical soccer drills in training, along with a breakdown of 3 practices from the Football DNA platform.
2 Types Of Technical Practice
Ball Manipulation/Mastery
This is where players practice with a ball each to develop their ball confidence, coordination and movement skills. Activities include ball co-ordination on the ground and in the air (i.e ball juggling), turning with the ball, travelling with the ball and 1 v 1 skills moves. The emphasis here is on players developing a positive ‘feel’ for the ball. Effective session design often involves players moving with the ball in an area where their space and time are constantly being compromised, in turn encouraging them to lift their eyes up to observe and assess their surroundings.
Core Actions
This involves the execution of age specific football actions based around core elements of the game including passing, hiding the ball, touch direction and finishing. Generally, the focus is on ball striking and the body mechanics required such as balance and co-ordination. These types of practice can either involve set patterns and sequences or are more varied in their design, where players are free to make choices in a random fashion without the rigidity of following a pre-determined combination.
Advantages of Technical Soccer Drills
1.Repetition And Consistency
Players can practice specific movements and techniques repeatedly, which can lead to improved muscle memory and consistency in performance during games.
2. Improved Ball Control
One of the primary focuses of technical drills is to enhance a player’s ability to control the ball under various conditions. As players engage in repetitive ball-handling skills—such as juggling, passing, and receiving —they develop a better touch and feel for the ball. This improved ball control can translate to better performance during matches, allowing players to execute and link together multiple actions.
2. Enhanced Passing Accuracy
Technical drills often emphasise the importance of precise passing. Exercises such as passing in pairs, triangle passing, or rondos help players to develop their ability to deliver effective, accurate passes under an element of pressure. As players grow more comfortable with passing techniques, they can become more reliable on the pitch, enabling more efficient team play and quicker ball movement.
4. Building Confidence
Repetitive practice of technical skills can lead to increased confidence among players. As they master various actions, they become more comfortable applying their skills during matches. This heightened self-assurance helps encourage players to become more risk tolerant, attempt new moves, and engage more actively in the game.
5. Team Cohesion
Many technical drills are designed to be performed in small groups or pairs. This promotes communication and teamwork among players, fostering a sense of unity and understanding on the pitch. Stronger team connections often lead to improved performance, as players learn to anticipate each other’s movements and work together more effectively during matches.
6. Injury Prevention
Some technical drills emphasise specific body mechanics and footwork, which can help players develop strength in key muscle groups while reducing the risk of injury. By focusing on skill development rather than just conditioning, players approach the game more safely.
Disadvantages of Technical Soccer Drills
1. Lack of Realism
While technical drills are invaluable for skill development, they can sometimes lack the intensity and realism of a match environment. Certain drills may not effectively replicate the pressure, speed, and unpredictability of live play, potentially leading to frustration when players cannot translate their practiced skills to an actual match situation.
2. Overemphasis on Individual Skills
Focusing excessively on technical drills can lead to neglecting other aspects of the game, such as physical conditioning, tactical strategies, and overall team play. If a training session consists solely of individual skills without context, players may struggle to integrate those skills in a collective game plan.
3. Repetitive Nature
While repetition is considered crucial for skill mastery, overly repetitive drills can lead to boredom among players, especially if they do not see how these drills connect to the game. Coaches must strike a balance to keep training sessions engaging while ensuring that players remain committed to technical improvement.
4. Age and Skill Level Considerations
Technical drills must be appropriately tailored to the age and skill level of participants. Younger players or beginners may find some drills complicated or overwhelming, leading to frustration and disengagement. Coaches should avoid simply ‘copying and pasting’ sessions they see on the internet and instead adapt drills to ensure they are relevant, accessible and stimulating for all players involved.
Technical Soccer Drills In Action
We will now look at 3 practices from the Football DNA platform that focus on the core actions of receiving and releasing, as well as travelling with the ball. We will analyse their effectiveness in terms of developing player’s technical abilities along with where these types of practice sit within a training session:
Open And Switch
This is a simple but effective practice in which players develop their ability to receive the ball and switch play over a short distance. As 2 groups work at the same time, players must be mindful of the other players as well as the other ball being passed and received across the area. Despite there being no direct opposition, this concept of contextual interference is hugely valuable for young players as it forces them to scan, observe and process both time and space in which to execute the required actions.
Other key elements worked on here include adopting effective supporting angles and distances in which to offer passing options as well as an open body shape to receive the ball on the back foot in order to switch play.The timing of the player’s movements can be worked on as well as their ability to perform disguised movements which, in a game, would help to create more space in which to receive the ball. Lastly, this is a great practice to encourage vacating and occupying space through a simple interchanging of position. The concept of ‘pass in, go in’ and ‘pass out, go out’ introduces young players to the idea of rotation and leaving an area for their team-mate to utilise.
This practice is a great pre-cursor to a more opposed switching play activity in which there is direct opposition to affect both technical execution and heighten the need for effective decision making. With a larger squad of players, there is also scope for the same practice design but with multiple groups all passing and moving across the area meaning even more contextual interference and additional distraction, which would develop the player’s ability to scan and assess both time and space to a greater degree.
Dribbling And Passing Skills Corridor
This is a fun, multi-purpose technical practice that works well at the beginning of a training session. Players work on both their dribbling skills and passing and receiving in an environment where time and space are ever changing. The dribbling players have no direct opposition as such but are encouraged to perceive the area effectively due to the passing pairs lined up on both sides. The passing players get lots of repetition of receiving and releasing the ball which helps to develop the weight and timing of their execution as they look for gaps in which to exploit. The dribbling players are forced to vary their speed and direction of travel to avoid being clipped by a ball as it’s passed across the area.
The progression involves the travelling players now dribbling in a more random fashion as opposed to a linear direction which encourages them to use different parts of their feet (e.g inside, outside, sole) to manipulate the ball. This also forces the passing players to adapt their technique and work on more varied types of sharing the ball, such as 1st time passing and driven passes. To further increase the level of challenge, another progression involves the passing players now deciding when to dribble into the area to perform a cross-over move and exchange the ball with their partner.
This compromises the space in which the dribblers have to travel, further encouraging their scanning frequency and quality whist remaining in control of the ball.
This practice is ideal as a fun and interactive ‘activator’ leading into an opposed dribbling practice or directional small-sided game with a focus on when to stay on the ball or share the ball to exploit space.
Attacking Patterns Of Play (4-3-3)
This is an 11 v 11 specific passing pattern in which players follow a set sequence of build up in which to play out from the back. The grid markings act as reference points for players to become accustomed and develop their sense of ‘pitch geography’ in line with their specific position on the pitch. Key elements worked on initially in this practice focus on the weight and speed of pass along with the angle and body shape that players receive the ball.
A variety of patterns can be worked on to enhance the player’s build up options. These include receiving the ball on the half-turn and advancing it forwards quickly, as well as receiving in the midfield area with a more closed body shape to ‘bounce’ the ball back for the defenders to either change the point of build up or progress it forwards in an ‘up, back, through’ combination from a central or wide position.The grids initially act as areas in which the players receive the ball but as the practice develops, players can be encouraged to inter-change position with each other. This concept of rotation is a valuable principle of playing out from the back as it helps to create and exploit space to advance the ball up the pitch by dragging opponents out of position and open up gaps in which to play quick penetrative passes.
This practice is beneficial as a ‘walk through’ for older players where intensity needs to be low, for example on match day -1. If forming part of a longer session in the middle of a training week, it can be progressed by either adding in passive opposition or active defenders in a phase of play (half-pitch) practice.
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Conclusion
Technical soccer drills play a crucial role in developing players’ skills, confidence, and execution of the game’s core actions and position specific roles and responsibilities. While there are many advantages to incorporating these drills into training programmes, it is essential to recognise their limitations as well. A well-rounded training programme should strike a balance between technical skills, tactical awareness, physical conditioning, and teamwork. By doing so, coaches can create an environment where players not only enhance their individual skills but also thrive as a cohesive unit on the pitch.